Mortimer g



(No Model.)

M. G. M'ERRITT; DIE FOR MAKING TYPE.

No. 470,432. Patented Mar. 8, 1892;

UNITED STATES ATENT Enron.

MORTIMER G. MERRITT, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE YOST \VRITING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

DIE FOR MAKING TYPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,432, dated March 8, 1892. Application filed March 24, 1887. Serial No. 232,231. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER G. MERRITT,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Springfield, in the county of I-Iampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dies for Making Type, of which the following is a specification.

Previous to my invention the type for writing-machines of the class to which the Remington and the Oaligraph type-writing machines belong (styled frequently levermachines) have usually been made by rolling upon suitable metallic blanks curved or circular diesor disks, bearing on their surfaces the letters, numerals, or other characters desired to be reproduced upon the blanks.

My invention has for its objects the making of type in a simpler, cheaper, and more BX" peditious manner than heretofore; and to this end it consists in the means hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a punch or male die for forming a matrix for the construction of the type. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a die having the character-matrix formed therein. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a type-blank holder. Fig. 4is a vertical section of the female or matrixed die and a guide therefor. Fig. 5 is a similar section of the type'blank holder, the matrixed die, and the holder or guide for these two devices, the type-blank being shown in elevation. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the type-blank. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the guide, the matrixed die, and the blankholder, and illustrating the formation of a type. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a type after the blank shown at Fig. 5 has undergone the operation illustrated at Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a top view of said type. Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective View of a finished type.

In the several views the same part will be found designated by the same letter or numeral of reference.

In the carrying out of my invention I prefer to use a punch A. to form the matrix or female die for the production of the type; but the matrix or female die may be otherwise made without departing'from the gist of my invention. The point of the punch is formed or provided in relief with the letter, numeral, or other character I) which it may be desired to reproduce in type, and this is sunk into the upper surface of a steel block, preferably cylindrical in shape, to form the matrix or female die B, as shown at Fig. 2. The point of the punch is preferably made rectangular 111 outline and tapering in order to produce a similarly-shaped depression 0 in the female die B, for a purpose which will hereinafter be made apparent. By the use of a suitable instrument the upper surface of the female die is roughened or stippled, as shown atd, to prevent an undue spreading of the type-blank during the operation of flattening the same and forging the type. r

0 represents a holder for the type-blank similarly roughened or stippled upon its lower surface, as shown at e, to co-operate with the uneven surface 61 of the female die B and as -sist in preventing the expansion of the base of the type-blank. Theholder O is also preferably made cylindrical in' form and is provided with a central perforation f, made tapering at its lower end to receive and support the tapering shank g of the type-blank.

D represents a tubular guide or holder for the reception of both the female die and the type-blank holder.

The type-blank is made of steel and consists of a cone j and the aXiallyarranged shank or stem 9.

In making type I proceed in the following manner: I place the female die B in the lower end of the holder or guide D, as illustrated at Fig. 4. Then I insert the shank of a cold type-blank into the opening f in the holder 0 and place said blank-holder within the guide D and move it down therein until the vertex of the cone j shall have entered the depression 0 in the female die, as illustrated at Fig. 5, and then by great force or pressure, applied at the projecting end. of the holder 0, I move the latter farther toward 1 the die B and flatten or break down the cone carried thereby, as illustrated at Fig. 7. Thus far in practice I have supported the female die B and the guide D upon the bed of a press and forced down the die 0 and effected the crushing of the cone j by means 5 thereof is spread from the center of the matrix or depression until it completely fills and perfectly conforms/to the shape of said depression and to the letter, numeral, or other character produced therein. During the crushing of the cone and the filling. of the matrix in the female die the tendency'of the metal to spread outwardly is checked by the roughenedsurfaces d and e, and the fillingof the matrix thus insured. I have found in practice that the roughened surfaces-are of great benefit, as without the same the blank is liable to spread indefinitely and fail to fill the matrix.

The resistance which the die B offers-to the tightly in the holder as'to prevent extraction by the fingers of the operator, a small rod or othersuitable devicemay be inserted in the open end of the perforation f and the shank removed by pushing or by theblowof a-h'ammer.

tion shown at Fig. 7 it will be found to be in the-condition represented at Figs. 8 and 9 and tocomprise a shank g, a-fiattened disk Ir. of surplus metal, a rectangularbed or base j female die, one of said dies having, a roughened surface, for the purpose set forth.

on, with inclined sides 71., and aprintingcharacter, as 19, uponsaid base. The surplus into the condition represented at Fig. 10. The use of a type of the construction shown (that is, with a frnsto-pyramidal base) in connection with the guide or directrix set forth by me simultaneously with this, has been found in practice to effect a great improvement in the machine, particularly in the matter of the alignment of the printing.

guide D'made of separate pieces, it will be understood, of course, that they may beformed' of a single piece or of two pieces united per-- holder 0 is necessary in making the entire font of type, and this, instead=of being de- Upon the removal of the type from the holder (lafter the performance of the opera-' metal I prefer removing to bring the type Q froughened on its surface at thatside carrying. the blank, of the female die roughened upon that portion of its surface surrounding the Imatrix, as and for the purpose setforth.

in another-application, Serial No. 232,230, filed fhaving the roughenedsurface andaperforavtion, as f, of the female die having a-rough- Although Ihave shown the die B and the tachable from the guide I), as shown, may be made apart thereof'and the female die B moved to break down the conical blank j.

Although my improvements have special reference to the making of type for Writingmachines, it will be understood, of course, that type'for' other purposes'may be made in ac cordance with my invention, and although I show means for making type-face upon a rectangular base it will be understood that type may be made without the rectangular base, as usual now.

My improvements are now in practical operation, and I find that a cold-steel type-blank of the barbed or tapering form shown may,

by the means and in the manner illustrated and described, be readily converted into asuperior quality of type andat a vastly less expensethan type hasheretoforebeen made.

Although I have shown and-describedand thus far used acone-shapedblank, it will be understood that a pyramidal or other tapering orspiked blank maybe used in lieu thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention.

As .the method herein-shown and described for makingtype and the type as an improved article'of manufacture'form-the.subjectanatter of an application filed March:24t-, 1887, Se-

rial No. 232,229, which has since. become apatent, No. 400,000, dated March 19,1889, and anapplication filed June 4,1888, SerialiNo. ;275,970,I disclaim the same herein iu-Ifavor of said other applications.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the male die and the 2. The combination, with the blank-holder 3. Thecombination, withthe blank holder 4. The combination of-a die having a sunken printing character and inclined walls, a-blankholder havinga perforation in line with said character, and a tubular guide surrounding the dieand the blank-holder.

Signed at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, this 14th day ofMarch,.A. D. 1887.

MORTIMER G. MERRITT.

lVitnesses-z H. A. OHAPIN, EDWIN PEAsE. 

